Robert Negoiță, the current mayor of Bucharest’s Sector 3, has been the subject of numerous investigations over the years, though legal outcomes have been limited. While repeatedly scrutinized by Romanian authorities, he has only been formally indicted in one case, which ultimately saw the charges dismissed due to statute of limitations. The remaining legal battles center on potential financial repercussions, rather than criminal conviction.
The most recent legal development, as of , involves a control order issued on of this year, following searches conducted by the DNA (Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism) at his home and the Sector 3 City Hall. He is accused of abuse of power. Sources indicate a bail of 800,000 lei was set after several hours of questioning, and he has been temporarily barred from exercising his mayoral duties during the preventative measures.
Negoiță’s first encounter with law enforcement scrutiny came in 2010, when he was listed as a witness in a human trafficking investigation conducted by DIICOT (Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism). The case involved a network accused of exploiting young models, some of whom were minors. At the time, Negoiță was a member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies.
According to prosecutors’ records, several models alleged they were pressured by agency owners to engage in sexual relations with influential figures, and Negoiță’s name surfaced during these testimonies. Specifically, allegations included that securing titles in beauty pageants was contingent upon sexual favors. One account detailed an incident at the Rin Grand Hotel during the Miss Academy 2008 competition, where a contestant claimed Negoiță attempted to solicit her, and subsequently threatened her chances in the competition when she refused. Negoiță’s role was limited to that of a witness, and no charges were filed against him in connection with this case.
In 2016, the DNA initiated proceedings against Negoiță concerning the sale of 1,250 apartments through personal accounts, allegedly to evade Value Added Tax (VAT). Prosecutors claimed that between 2005 and 2009, Negoiță, through companies he administered, constructed residential complexes and sold these properties without registering as a VAT payer, resulting in an alleged tax evasion of 77,148,021 lei.
The DNA alleged that Negoiță deliberately concealed the economic activity by recording construction expenses through his companies while failing to declare the resulting income. However, in February 2020, the DNA unexpectedly dropped the case, concluding that no crime had been committed. The reasoning centered on the argument that simply not registering as a VAT payer doesn’t constitute tax evasion unless there’s evidence of intent to conceal assets or the source of income. Prosecutors determined that the properties were publicly registered and the transactions were recorded with tax authorities, negating any element of fraud. This decision meant Negoiță faced no criminal liability, though the possibility of civil claims for the unpaid taxes remained.
Another investigation, initiated in February 2022, focused on allegedly inflated contracts for sanitation services. The DNA accused Negoiță and six other city officials of abuse of power related to 54 amendments made to a sanitation contract with S.C. ROSAL GRUP S.A. Between 2000, and 2018. Instead of competitive bidding, the contract was repeatedly extended and its value increased through these amendments, allegedly leading to higher sanitation fees for residents.
In August 2022, Negoiță and the other accused were formally indicted, and the case was transferred to the Bucharest Court of Appeal due to one of the defendants being a lawyer. The estimated damages in this case amount to 578,446,818 lei. As of , the case is ongoing, with witness testimony underway. Defense attorneys have sought to have the case dismissed due to the statute of limitations, a motion that was rejected by the court. The primary remaining issue is the potential recovery of the alleged damages. If the charges are dismissed on grounds of prescription, the defendants would avoid financial responsibility.
In 2022, the Sector 3 Prosecutor’s Office also investigated Negoiță following a fatal accident at the National Library of Romania construction site, where two workers died and four were injured. The workers were employed by Algorithm Residential S3, a company owned by the Sector 3 Local Council. Negoiță was initially considered a suspect, but ultimately faced no charges. Five individuals from Algorithm Residential S3’s management, including the site manager, were indicted in June 2024, and the trial is scheduled to begin on .
Further legal trouble arose in 2023 when the DNA initiated a third investigation into Negoiță, again alleging abuse of power. This case centers on accusations that between 2015 and 2021, Negoiță improperly approved documents facilitating the construction and registration of a building in central Bucharest. This investigation remains ongoing, with Negoiță maintaining his status as a suspect.
Most recently, in February 2024, DNA Chief Prosecutor Marius Voineag confirmed the opening of an investigation into a 27 million euro contract awarded by Sector 3 City Hall to a company linked to Sorina Docuz, Negoiță’s former wife and a close associate of former Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The contract, awarded through a process flagged with irregularities, involved a company with a previously nonexistent financial record. While the investigation is underway, no further details have been publicly released.
